Foldable compartmental card holder



Jan. 17, 1956 Q M, SCHULZ 2,731,270

FOLDABLE COMPRTMENTAL CARD HOLDER Filed Oct. 27, 1953 f' 45 47 48 4g I 46 49 .g 9c T 'j /9 a 43 T I 75 Zi 7 40 I I 16 s l 8b 1 21 7 11 i6 84 55d) 4a) 56a 4 IN V EN TOR.

z/zZCHULz United States Patent() FOLDABLE COMPARTNIENTAL CARD HOLDER C. Milton Schulz, Ventura, Calif.

Application October 27, 1953, Serial No. 388,518

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-148) This invention relates to a foldable compartmental card holder, and more particularly to a foldable compartmental structure used for containing, in a distributed fashion, cards used in playing the game known as Klondike Solitaire.

The compartmental tray, or card holder provided by this invention will make the playing of the game of solitaire more pleasant because it will support the distributed cards in a smaller space and will provide between the various groups of cards partitions which will prevent the cards of one group becoming intermingled with those of an adjacent group.

The tray or card holder provided by this invention may be made as one rigid non-exible unit for use in homes, hotel rooms, clubs, hospitals, rest homes, and other institutions where card playing is practiced. Also, when it is to be used by the traveling public it may be made in sections which are foldable upon each other so that the device will be in a more compact form suitable for being carried about in a handbag or the like.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention are: to provide a foldable, compartmental playing card holder which may be manufactured out of inexpensive form retaining sheet material and which is provided with a suicient number of open-topped compartments to support in conveniently accessible positions cards grouped for the playing of solitaire; to providev a compartmcntal card holder so constructed that, on the one hand it will eectively keep adjacent groups of cards from mingling with each other, yet on the other hand will maintain the grouped cards supported in such a manner that they may be singly withdrawn from any given group when desired by simply being slid off from the top of said group; and to provide, in combination with adjacent parts, an improved hinge structure for hinging an upper section to a lower section of the device in such a manner that when said upper section is folded over it will be supported in a properly spaced relation above the section which it overlies.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention and a modication thereof,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of device showing the foldable form thereof in its extended position ready for having the playing cards to be used distributed into the various compartments thereof, the latches being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the completely folded device, a fragment being broken out in order to disclose structure behind it.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the folded device looking thereat from right to left in relation to Fig. 2. In this view the foldable rear section is shown in broken lines in its extended position and in full lines in its folded position.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

2,731,270 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 ICC Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a preferred hinge used swingably to attach the rear section of the foldable form of the device to its main front section.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, illustrating a non-foldable embodiment of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the foldable form of the compartmental card holder therein shown comprises a stationary section 7, a foldable end section 8 and a foldable side section 9. Said section 7 is shown furnished with a row of card compartments designated from left to right as 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, these card cornpartments resulting from the oor portion 11 of said section 7 being provided at one end with an upstanding wall 14 and at its opposite end with an upstanding wall 15, along with the intermediate upstanding walls or partitions 16, 1'7, and 18, in combination with a back wall 19 which also upstands from said iloor. As will clearly be understood by referring to Fig. 4, said back wall i9 is extended below said floor 11 and the front part of the oor is provided with a downwardly directed edge portion 21 so said floor is supported somewhat above the table top, desk or other support upon which the device is placed during use.

The aforesaid foldable end section 8 is constructed in a manner similar to the already described section 7, but is provided with only three card compartments 8a, 8b, and 8c. At one end of said section 8 its oor 28 is provided with an upstanding wall 29 and at its opposite end with an opstanding wall 30, upstanding partitions 31 and 32 intervening between said end walls, and there being a back wall 34 completing the card retaining means for this section. Said iioor 28 has a downwardly directed front edge portion 35 which normally engages the supporting surface, aud the back wall 34 and end wall 30 each extend far enough down to engage the supporting surface when the section 8 is fully outswung. A pair of hinges 40 connect together the upper edge portions of the wall 15 of the section 7 and the wall 29 of the section 8.

The aforesaid foldable section 9, like the stationary section 7, is provided with four card compartments, these being designated 9a, 9b, 9c, and 9d; and when these two sections are in a folded relation to each other the card compartments of one section register with those of the other. Accordingly, said section 9 is provided with end walls 42 and 43, intermediate partitions 44, 45, and 46 upstandnig from a floor 47, and a back wall 48.

The end portions of the sections 7 and 9 are connected by hinges 50, these two hinges being twins and each having twin front arms 51 (see Fig.- 5), and a pair of twin rear arms 52. The arms of each of these pairs are provided with holes to receive attaching screws or rivets, said arms 51 being attached to the rear side of the aforesaid back wall 19 of the main, or front section 7 of the device. Rearwardly, speaking of the device as a whole as viewed in Fig. l, said pair of apertured arms 52 is attached to the front face of the rear section 9 of the device as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Fig. 4. The aforesaid hinge arms 51 are considerably spaced apart as shown, and the hinge arms 52 are also spaced apart. A hinge pin 53 is carried by the attached ends of said arms 52 and bridges the space between them, and a hinge limb 54 has one of its ends swingably attached to the part of said pin 53 which bridges the space between said arms 52. The opposite end of said limb 54 is pivotly connected with a pair of hinge limbs 55 by means of a pin 56, said limbs 55 being spaced apart with one of them at each side of said limb 54. The ends of said limbs 55 which are opposite to the pin 56 are pivotly connected to the aforesaid arms 51 by means of pins 56'.

'ments compartment and then proceeding toward the right places From the description whichhas just been given of the Y section 9 willv only have to be slidY over a narrow space between the sections 7 and 9, in bringing them forward to remove them for use in playing the game. It is to be observed that, owing to the structure tha has been described', groups of cards resting upon the floorl 47 of the foldable section 9 when the latter is in its downswung position, may be slid forwardly acrossl the top of' the rear wall 1-9 of the section- 7 in a freelyV movablemanner. Also, when the device is in its extended position, groups of cards in the various compartments of the sections '7 and 8 may be either singly or in larger numbersl manually slid oi from the floor sections on Vwhich they are resting preparatory to being used in playing solitaire.

As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the section 9 whenV in its outswung position may be spaced somewhat away from the section 7, but, as indicated by the horizontal arrow in this view, it will be moved leftward into contact with the latter section to the position shown in Fig. l before cards are grouped in the device in the manner presentlyA tov be described.

In folding up the device, the auxiliary triple compartmentv section 8 isl irst swung to an overlying relation to the section 7 to which it is hinged. Then the section 9 is upswung to the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Thereupon the twin swingable hooks 55 and 56, which are pivoted to the end portions of the apron'orV flange 21 of the section 7, are swung to their latched position wherein the hook 55 engages a headed pin' 55a and the hook 56 engages a headed pin 56a. In its latched position the flattened shank of the hook 55 overlies the spacious card containingV alcove or compartment shown containing a pack of cards 60 and keeps said cards in place. Said alcove results from the upswung or folded over section S being shorter` than the section 7 by one compartment.

In Fig. 6 the structure shown is the same as in the other views, except that the hinges 40 and Si) are omitted rand the back section 9x rigidly joins the front section 7x While the sections 7x andV 8x are rigidly joined. The lettering of the preceding views for the same parts is otherwise duplicated in Fig. 6, but 21x designates the continuous, front dependent ange in Fig. 6.

In using the device for playing solitaire, the rst step is to lay out the cards in the usual group fashion ac-` cording to the rules of the game. Preparatory to doing this the device will be placed in the open position shown in Fig. li. Then successively, speaking of the seven compartments nearest' to the player, when the device is in the extended position of Fig. l or Fig; 6, a card is laid in each compartment with itsface up starting with the left hand compartment of said seven compartments. Then the user proceeding toward the right places one cardv face down in each of the six remaining compart- Then he places a card face up in the second one card Yface down in each ofthe tive remaining compartments; This procedure is repeated until all `the cards which it is desired to place in the seven front compartments have been distributed in them. The four rear compartments are for the building up of the four suits (hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs), from the ace to theking. n

This article will make the playing of Ysolitaire more pleasant because it can be played in a smaller space and the transverse partitions between the lcompartments' will guard against mixing of cards in adjacent packs. The device is adapted for use in homes, hotel rooms, clubs, hospitals, rest homes, and other institutions. Also, this card holding device, particularly the foldable form there-V of, can be conveniently carried about by travelers for use as a pastime item, for receiving cards; to be used in playingsolitaire.

This compartmental tray or cardholder may bel made of laminated wood, cardboard, Ypapier-mache, cold rolled iron, aluminum, plastic, or of other suitable materials.

When the ioldable form ofthe device is made of a moldable plastic material the attaching arms of the hinges may be molded into the arms or leaves of the hinges, as may be required to mount the hinges in their operative. positions.

It will be observed that inl both forms of the device the rear section (9 or 9x), is provided with basal flanges which step it up so Vthat cards lying in itsV compartments can be slid forwardly over cards in the compartments in front of them.

l claim:

l. ln a device of the kind described, a main card.V

holding section comprising an elongated front floor having opstanding transverse wall portions spacedapart' therealong attording between them card holding com,- partments, a rear card holding Section comprisingan elongated floor rearwardly bordering said front section and having downwardly directed ila-nge portions which step it up in relation to said front floorV section, said rear ftoorV havingr upstanding transverse wall portions spaced apart therealong, affording between them card 'A main section and being'hinged thereto Vso as to be foldable over thereupon, and extensible hinge means connecting saidV rear section with said main section so that said rear section may be swung to open posit-ion adja-l cent said main section and after said auxiliary section has been folded over upon said main section said rea-r section may be upswung and superimposed upon'said auxiliary section. Y Y

2. The subject matter of claim l and said main sectionbeing longer than said auxiliary section sothat inthe aforesaid completely folded up condition of the de` vice there will be a widened card containing compart-1 ment opposite the inswung end of the folded. over ausili-Y` ary section, and latches for holding together the folded up structure, one lof saidlatches extend-ing acrossV the front side of said widened compartment to retain in place a pack of cardsrtherein.

References Cited in the tile of this. patent UNITED STATES PAlElll'fSV 230,664 Schmieding e Y Aug. 3, 1'880 1,320,798 Salarnbo Nov. 4, l9I9 1,510,763 Canal ---a Oct. 7, 1924 

